NFL Analysis
10/23/24
19 min read
2024 NFL Week 8 Quarterback Rankings: Lamar Jackson Claims Top Spot
Welcome to Week 8 of our 2024 quarterback rankings.
As a reminder, our new grading system combines the skill set rankings (how good a quarterback is in a vacuum) and production (based on a composite of EPA per play and success rate) for the 2024 season.
The hope is that the mix of the skill set rankings and the production rankings will give a more complete picture of what is actually happening on the field during the 2024 season.
The full rankings, including each individual skill set, will be at the bottom of this article. If you liked the old rankings, you can filter by Skill Score. If you're more interested in production, you can filter by that, too.
Each week, we’ll be ranking the league’s 32 starting quarterbacks. That means if a quarterback switch is made, it will be reflected in the rankings. With the production rankings, we’ll start ranking new quarterbacks after their first start or if an official move is made. We have Jameis Winston in for the Browns but will list Tyler Huntley for the Dolphins.
With that out of the way, here are the new quarterback rankings heading into Week 8. All stats provided by TruMedia unless noted otherwise.
Week 8 Quarterback Rankings
1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Skill Score: 9.7 | Production Score: 8.01 | Ranking Score: 8.86
Lamar Jackson had a nearly perfect day on Monday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He finished the game with 12.8 yards per attempt, a 60.8 percent success rate, and as many touchdown passes (five) as incompletions.
What’s made Jackson’s 2024 season so impressive is that everything is currently available to him. The run is more explosive than it’s been. The middle of the field has been opened up better through the scheme. His deep ball is hitting. There aren’t weaknesses.
Tampa Bay blitzed him on 63 percent of his dropbacks. He went 11-of-15 for 173 yards and two touchdowns.
2. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Skill Score: 9.2 | Production Score: 8.29 | Ranking Score: 8.75
Jayden Daniels only played for a drive against Carolina but that drive included a 46-yard keeper that immediately put Washington into scoring range. Based on how well Marcus Mariota filled in, it’s easy to believe Daniels would have had a monster day if he had played.
Holding up on open-field hits was one of the concerns for Daniels as a prospect. He landed awkwardly at the end of his run and is cautiously being considered week-to-week, but there is a chance he plays on Sunday.
While there shouldn’t be too much concern over the nature of the hit, it is something in his game to monitor going forward.
3. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Skill Score: 9.10 | Production Score: 7.56 | Ranking Score: 8.33
Let’s talk about Jared Goff’s turnaround really quickly — not his career turnaround, but his shift from the start of this season.
After three of the best games we’ve seen Goff play, it’s easy to forget this season didn’t start out all that well. Goff started the year a bit inaccurate and shaky from the pocket. He had a decent Week 1, but in Weeks 2 and 3, Goff averaged -0.12 EPA per play and 6.5 yards per attempt.
But it now feels so far away from that, which shows how impressive Goff’s past three games have been, including handling the blitz and pressure from Minnesota last week.
4. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Skill Score: 9.66 | Production Score: 6.81 | Ranking Score: 8.24
We got hints of what the Buffalo offense could look like with Amari Cooper. That’s going to help Josh Allen — and already did on Sunday against the Titans. Allen’s touchdown to Cooper came on a 0-blitz in the red zone. Defenses won't try that anymore because Allen was quick to find the mismatch between Cooper and a safety.
Even without Cooper, we got the best version of Allen. He got the ball out quickly and worked the intermediate range while still having a few wow throws. Allen had his highest explosive pass rate of the season, most of which was in the rhythm of the offense.
5. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Skill Score: 9.08 | Production Score: 6.7 | Ranking Score: 7.89
The highs of Baker Mayfield this season have been fun to watch. The opening drive against Baltimore on Monday is exactly what you’d like to see from the quarterback and the offense.
But once Mike Evans was lost, things got a bit hectic, especially as the Buccaneers trailed big for much of the game. That can bring out the worst in Mayfield when he tries to extend and do a bit too much, which we saw on his interceptions.
There’s still a lot to like about Mayfield's performance this season, and his processing early in the play has been much improved. But now, with Evans and Chris Godwin out, we’ll see how he and the offense adjust.
6. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Skill Score: 9.74 | Production Score: 5.94 | Ranking Score: 7.80
This is what Patrick Mahomes is at the moment, and that’s fine. Mahomes is doing all of the right things, even if it’s not living on the type of crazy throws we know he can make. Against the 49ers, Mahomes had a 3.3-yard average depth of completion but still had a 50 percent success rate. That tracks with his season so far, as he’s last in average depth of completion (3.8) but fourth in success rate (50.4 percent).
The Chiefs will live in some heavier personnel packages and take advantage of spacing and mismatches in that way as they move the ball efficiently down the field. Then, every once in a while, Mahomes will make an insane scramble as he did late in the third quarter against San Francisco.
7. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Skill Score: 9.34 | Production Score: 6.01 | Ranking Score: 7.68
After a three-week stretch when Joe Burrow was playing his best football, he’s struggled some during the past two weeks. The commonality is pressure. Against the Giants, Burrow was pressured on 41.2 percent of his dropbacks, and he was pressured on 42.9 percent against the Browns. In both games, he finished with negative EPA per play.
Yet against the Browns, he found a way to get enough big plays with a 25 percent explosive play rate, thanks to how often Cleveland plays single-high coverages. Burrow will always find a way to beat single-high, especially when Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are on the field.
8. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Skill Score: 9.10 | Production Score: 5.88 | Ranking Score: 7.68
We’re seeing a shift in how defenses can play the San Francisco offense without the full set of skill players on the field. Without Christian McCaffrey, defenses have played more man coverage against the 49ers and the Chiefs went hard into that, forcing Brock Purdy to make tougher throws.
Against Kansas City, those throws weren’t there. Purdy averaged -0.64 EPA per play against man coverage in Week 7 and is averaging -0.19 EPA per play against man on the season.
Now that Brandon Aiyuk is out for the season with a torn ACL and Deebo Samuel’s status is up in the air with pneumonia, we could see a shift back to a more conventional Shanahan offense with a heavy play-action approach, which the 49ers had abandoned this year.
9. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Skill Score: 9.30 | Production Score: 5.16 | Ranking Score: 7.23
Kyler Murray has the skill set when even if the pass isn’t completely working (he only averaged 5.6 yards per attempt against the Chargers), he still has an out to keep the offense moving. That came in the form of a 44-yard scramble that took advantage of a wide-open sideline for a touchdown. As a result, he finished the game with 0.31 EPA per play.
The Cardinals are still figuring things out through the air, especially how to consistently get Marvin Harrison Jr. involved, but the run game sets a high floor, and Murray is a big part of that. At its best, Murry’s mobility has kept the negative plays away, as it did against the Chargers when he was only hit once and did not take a sack.
10. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Skill Score: 9.30 | Production Score: 5.15 | Ranking Score: 7.23
There have been some highs and lows in Jordan Love’s game so far this season. He’s trying stuff. Sometimes, that ends up in an interception, but it also turns into some big plays. He’s not just toeing the line — the positives have far outweighed the negatives.
Few quarterbacks make the touchdown throw to Tucker Kraft with the velocity needed to get the ball in before the defender closes in. Then there was the touch on the deep Dontayvion Wicks touchdown pass. He’s also been unbelievable in the pocket, with the fifth-lowest pressure-to-sack rate in the league.
11. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Skill Score: 8.96 | Production Score: 5.32 | Ranking Score: 7.14
Jalen Hurts only had a 40 percent success rate with 14 pass attempts, but there were enough valuable plays in this offense for the efficiency to be there. That’s been the story of the Philadelphia offense so far this season.
Hurts hasn’t been overly impressive as a passer but has done enough to get the play-makers the ball in the right spots. That included a big 41-yard touchdown to A.J. Brown on a go route with pressure in his face on a fourth-and-3 against the Giants.
12. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Skill Score: 9.32 | Production Score: 4.92 | Ranking Score: 7.12
Each week, Geno Smith is the quarterback you have to go back and rewatch to truly appreciate what he’s doing. Smith was pressured on 40.6 percent of his dropbacks against the Falcons, who can’t pressure anyone, yet he only took one sack.
That’s been a constant for the Seahawks this season, and Smith might just be the best pocket manipulator in the league. He won't extend and break off a huge run like the mobile quarterbacks, but he’ll create a throwing lane for a pass that not many other quarterbacks could attempt.
13. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
Skill Score: 9.04 | Production Score: 5.11 | Ranking Score: 7.08
Kirk Cousins was in a tough spot with the Falcons trailing early, and it was statistically his worst game since the Week 1 disaster, but there’s so much more to like about what the Atlanta offense is doing.
His two interceptions were sailed high, but those were on plays when Cosusins was trying to force something late.
Even without doing anything outside the pocket, Cousins has found a rhythm and ability to get the ball out accurately. The timing and chemistry with Drake London has continued to improve, and that has opened up more opportunities elsewhere in the offense.
14. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Skill Score: 9.52 | Production Score: 4.87 | Ranking Score: 7.20
Week 7 was easily Matthew Stafford’s worst game, but the Rams still overcame the Raiders. Stafford threw to Tyler Johnson and Tutu Atwell for a combined 16 targets. No NFL quarterback will look good like that.
Stafford should have Cooper Kupp back in Week 8, and Puka Nacua's practice window has opened. We could see a closer-to-full-strength Rams offense soon — or the upcoming trade deadline could change that, too.
15. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Skill Score: 9.06 | Production Score: 4.63 | Ranking Score: 6.85
Here’s what we said about Lawrence’s best career game by EPA per play in 1st & 10 this week:
His average time to throw was just 2.21 seconds, which worked the quick game the Jaguars have been relying on so often to help the offensive line (Lawrence was pressured on just 9.5 percent of his dropbacks). But he also used play-action on a career-high 36.1 percent of his dropbacks. He only threw deep twice but connected on both for 82 yards.
The offense's rhythm and control allowed Lawrence to operate comfortably. He completed 75 percent of his passes, and just one was charted as inaccurate—something that has been an issue all season.
16. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
Skill Score: 9.58 | Production Score: 3.64 | Ranking Score: 6.61
Here is the weekly caveat for those who actually read: No, this does not mean we believe C.J. Stroud is the 16th-best quarterback in the league. Thanks for stopping by.
In a season when Stroud has been put in difficult positions for how often he’s needed to bail out the offense on third-and-long, Sunday’s game against the Packers was the toughest because of how much pressure the Packers created. Houston’s offensive line crumbled, and when Green Bay blitzed on 60 percent of Stroud’s third down dropbacks, there was little he could do.
Yet again, thanks to the plays Stroud could make, this game was closer than it had any right being, with Green Bay only winning on a late field goal.
17. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Skill Score: 9.16 | Production Score: 3.81 | Ranking Score: 6.48
Caleb Williams was on a bye in Week 7.
18. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings
Skill Score: 9.04 | Production Score: 3.6 | Ranking Score: 6.32
Sam Darnold keeps doing what’s asked of him, and he takes advantage of the opportunities he gets to make some plays down the field. The touchdown throw to Justin Jefferson is a perfect example. Jefferson was matched with a slot corner in man and short motion before the snap turned him into the outside receiver. That created more space for the fade, and Darnold put the ball in a great spot for the touchdown.
Impressively, Darnold completed 81 percent of his passes while the Lions blitzed him on 40 percent of his dropbacks. Darnold extended some plays and, outside of the Brian Branch interception, didn’t make bad mistakes.
19. Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
Skill Score: 8.92 | Production Score: 3.71 | Ranking Score: 6.32
In his first start, Wilson finished with 0.31 EPA per play, the fourth-highest of the week, and a 20 percent explosive pass rate. [Justin] Fields’s highs for the season were 0.00 and 15.8 percent, respectively.
Wilson was under center for 62.1 percent of his plays, a significant rate and his highest since the 2013 season, his second in the league.
Wilson’s under-center play-action and better touch on the deep balls down the sideline opened up a bit more for the Pittsburgh offense and could be something to build around going forward.
20. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Skill Score: 9.38 | Production Score: 3.15 | Ranking Score: 6.27
Dak Prescott was on a bye in Week 7.
21. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Skill Score: 9.44 | Production Score: 2.72 | Ranking Score: 6.08
Justin Herbert had the most Herbet game imaginable on Monday night, making some unbelievable plays only to be let down by the supporting cast. Did you know Jalen Reagor was a Charger? Odds are you found out after Herber hit him on a deep pass and then the receiver fumbled the ball out of the end zone.
In Week 7, Herbert was charted with a 10.3 percent drop rate. His leading target in the game was Will Dissly.
Again, it is impossible to contextualize Herbert’s performances correctly. He’s playing great and starting to open things up in this offense, but everything else around him has not been up to his level.
22. Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns
Skill Score: 8.82 | Production Score: 3.33 | Ranking Score: 6.08
It was a roundabout way for Jameis Winston to appear in these rankings. He was demoted to the inactive third emergency this past week, but after Deshaun Watson injured his Achilles and Dorian Thompson-Robinson injured his finger, Winston was called into action.
Winston has been named the starter for Week 8, but it does not appear that DTR’s injury is long-term, which could keep that door open.
Winston has been a risk-tasker, but he should fit better into Kevin Stefanski's under-center, play-action style of offense.
23. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
Skill Score: 9.1 | Production Score: 2.89 | Ranking Score: 6.00
The Davante Adams trade was not an immediate success. That should not be surprising. There are more underlying issues for the Jets offense than just the receiving talent. With the offensive line continually struggling, that compounds Aaron Rodgers’ inability to consistently extend plays outside of the pocket, so anything that is not an immediate quick-hitter looks disjointed.
There might not be an easy fix for that unless the Jets just go back to running slant-flat and screens for every play. It wouldn’t be a shock if we creep closer to that as the season goes along.
24. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Skill Score: 9.04 | Production Score: 2.79 | Ranking Score: 5.92
We’re getting what we wanted to see from Drake Maye. Despite the supporting cast, he can make plays and keep the offense moving. It’s not always going to look pretty, but he has a big arm, and the decisions have been mostly good to date.
He’s already clearly been an upgrade over Jacoby Brissett and has managed the pocket well enough not to make the line in front of him feel like an overwhelming negative. That’s such a good step for his development.
25. Andy Dalton, Carolina Panthers
Skill Score: 8.82 | Production Score: 2.85 | Ranking Score: 5.84
The Panthers' short-term boost from a veteran quarterback has completely faded, and some of the structural issues of this roster are showing again.
Andy Dalton had two interceptions in the first quarter, one on a missed screen to Miles Sanders and the other on a throw to Diontae Johnson when the quarterback expected the receiver to break to the middle of the field, but he didn’t. Dalton averaged -0.88 EPA per play on the day.
26. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
Skill Score: 8.92 | Production Score: 2.61 | Ranking Score: 5.77
Here’s where we stood on Richardson after this week’s game in 1st & 10:
Richardson finished the game completing 41.7 percent of his passes with a 10-yard aDOT. That was passable at times during the first few weeks because the big plays were hitting, and that value was enough to make up for the down-to-down inconsistency. But without those, it just looks like ugly football. He was 4-of-10 on throws of 11 or more air yards against Miami.
There are easier throws to be made in this offense — we’ve pointed out the differences between where Richardson and Joe Flacco threw — and it’s time Richardson takes advantage of those throws and gets more comfortable in the short area. Just 55 percent of his passes this season are under 10 air yards, the lowest rate in the league, with the next-lowest at 62 percent.
Even with all of Richardson’s physical tools, it’s impossible to live that way as a quarterback. We saw something similar from Josh Allen as a rookie. He developed comfort in the short area, and at this point in his career, his patience has become a strength. But Richardson has not gotten there yet, and the sooner he does, the better for his development and the Indianapolis offense.
27. Daniel Jones, New York Giants
Skill Score: 8.80 | Production Score: 2.59 | Ranking Score: 5.70
Daniel Jones was benched for Drew Lock late in this game, which tells you some of what you need to know about his performance. All of the regression to the mean for Philadelphia’s pass rush — a unit that was getting a lot of pressure but not many sacks — was fixed by Jones, who took seven sacks in this game.
Brian Daboll said Jones is still the starter, but that leash might be shorter than ever.
28. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Skill Score: 8.62 | Production Score: 1.74 | Ranking Score: 5.18
The Bo Nix experience stays the same. He holds onto the ball for a while and throws short, and the accuracy is not what it was billed as being. There tend to be some nice throws mixed in, but it’s still an overall clunky game with more strange misses than standout throws.
His scrambling ability has been a saving grace from bad plays not turning worse as he has the league’s lowest pressure-to-sack rate.
29. Mason Rudolph, Tennessee Titans
Skill Score: 8.7 | Production Score: 0.71 | Ranking Score: 4.71
With Will Levis out with an injury, one that is expected to last at least through next week, the Titans ran a bizarro version of the Levis offense. Mason Rudolph threw 80 percent of his passes within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, but the effectiveness was about the same. The Titans had a 4.7 percent explosive pass rate, so there was not much value picked up with the shorter passes.
On his interception, Rudolph double-clutched a slant and still threw it into a tight window, which popped the ball up for Damar Hamlin. That describes the day and what Rudolph offered at the position.
30. Gardner Minshew, Las Vegas Raiders
Skill Score: 8.62 | Production Score: 0.53 | Ranking Score: 4.58
We’re back here. Gardner Minshew was benched because of poor play, and then Aidan O’Connell fractured his finger and was placed in injured reserve. We get Minshew again now with less Davante Adams.
31. Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints
Skill Score: 8.84 | Production Score: -0.03 | Ranking Score: 4.41
Going into a short week with no Chris Olave or Rashid Shaheed went about as expected for the rookie. There was no rhythm or consistency to the offense, and Spencer Rattler’s attempts at making something happen tended to make things worse.
He’s taken 11 sacks in his two starts behind an offensive line that is still working through injuries. Olave is expected to be back this week, and that could also be the case for Taysom Hill, but it’s a tough environment for a rookie.
32. Tyler Huntley, Miami Dolphins
Skill Score: 8.76 | Production Score: -0.07 | Ranking Score: 4.35
Tyler Huntley found a rapport with Jonnu Smith, which created some nice plays, but Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle combined for two catches and 19 yards in Week 7.
Tua Tagovailoa will practice this week, which would be the last step in clearing the concussion protocol. If everything goes well, he will be in line to return to the field.